


Something To Talk About

by WhisperingAFantasy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:29:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27282706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhisperingAFantasy/pseuds/WhisperingAFantasy
Summary: Sometimes a single conversation can change everything.What if Hermione had learned that Ginny had declared that she has kissed Viktor Krum and approached Harry to confirm the same.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 148





	Something To Talk About

**Author's Note:**

> Not proof read. All mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Thank you for reading.

  
  


**Something To Talk About**

  
Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.

Ann Landers

  
Living in the same dorm as the two biggest gossips in the castle exposed Hermione Granger to all the secrets and rumours of Hogwarts, whether she liked it or not. 

Tired after a long hard day, Hermione had chosen to retire early and closed the curtains around her bed when she heard the usual whispers and normally she’d have put up her usual silencing charms to tune the girls out when her ears perked up at the mention of her name. She could hear Parvati talking to Lavender about how she witnessed Ginny yelling at Ron, and while she would have simply rolled her eyes about Parvati making a huge fuss over a simple row between siblings when she mentioned how Ginny had yelled that Hermione had snogged Krum, Hermione had nearly leapt from her bed and jumped between her two dormmates but for some reason, her limbs had refused to cooperate with her. 

As she heard the account of how the two Weasleys would have hexed each other if it weren’t for Harry managing to somehow control Ron, all she could think of was Parvati’s words regarding what Ginny had said. 

Within minutes, Hermione heard Lavender formulate a plan to make a move on Ron finally, as Parvati cheered on her best friend, Hermione found herself still too shocked to move as her mind reeled and tears stung her eyes, tears she stubbornly refused to shed for someone who never deserved them and eventually she drifted off to a fitful sleep. 

The next day she watched Ron glaring at her but decided to stay quiet. As the redhead rushed out of the Great Hall, shoving his breakfast in as quickly as possible, she noticed Harry was done as well but before he could get away as well, she was on her feet and had grabbed Harry’s arm and dragged him into the first empty classroom she found on the first floor. 

Closing the door shut behind her, as she cast the necessary charms to ensure they would have complete privacy and even placed an alarm that would ring fifteen minutes later, to ensure that they didn’t miss any classes she turned to Harry who was looking at her with curiosity but stayed silent even as she knew he had been paying attention to the spells she was casting. A faint smile had crossed his lips as she had cast the alarm charm, but he had remained silent.

Sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder how Harry didn’t need to indulge in small talk or just inane chatter and she appreciated that he had the patience to allow her the time to gather her thoughts. 

Taking a deep breath, she decided to rip the bandaid off as she quietly spoke, 

“Harry, did Ginny get into a fight with Ron yesterday?”

Whatever Harry had been expecting, she could see this was not it as his eyebrows rose but he went stiff as it finally sunk in what she had asked and that was all the answer she needed though he was quietly struggling with himself.

“I take it, that's a yes. You don’t have to say anything about their fight, I’m not interested in the details and I wouldn’t have cared less about their argument, they’re siblings after all, had I not learned something.”

When she saw Harry squirm under her gaze, she cocked an eyebrow, he finally exhaled loudly and spoke quietly,

“Yes, you were mentioned.”

Nodding her head she gulped and closed her eyes, her wand twirling in her hand restlessly.

“What did Ginny say, Harry?”

Harry gave her a long look and while his face was impassive, his eyes gave away how he was deciding what he should say. 

“I think you already know what she said, Hermione. You didn’t question me to learn what was said or done, but to confirm the validity of what you had heard. Am I right?”

For a moment she stayed silent before she swore under her breath, 

“That bitch! I thought she was my friend!”

As she noticed Harry’s eyes had widened, it registered with her what she had done and she quickly slapped her free hand over her mouth as her eyes widened but Harry found the sight so hilarious he burst out laughing.

She wanted to be angry, she felt mortified but as she heard Harry laughing so freely for the first time in months, she couldn’t get mad at him but instead found herself chuckling along with him.

When his laugh subsided but he was still smirking at her as his eyes lit up with mirth, she was unable to help herself as she glared at him and mumbled a quiet shut up. While Harry didn’t laugh, she saw him biting his lip to contain his smile.

Deciding it was time to end this conversation she turned towards her friend again, and sincerely thanked him. When she was about to lift the charms, she had earlier cast on the door, she heard Harry’s voice quietly speak up from behind her.

“Ron was really upset. I think perhaps you should talk to him.”

Turning on her heels quickly, she spotted Harry as her eyes flashed and she closed the distance between them. When she was nearly in his space she looked him in the eye and very quietly she spoke up,

“What did you say?”

Harry gulped audibly as realisation began to dawn on him that he might have perhaps erred but he didn’t know what was his mistake. Yet he was a Gryffindor and so despite some part of him warning him that this might be a very bad idea, he soldiered on.

“I said maybe you need to talk to Ron, it upset him to learn that you… you know what.”

Closing in on Harry, she stood toe to toe with him and noticed his discomfort as he was trying to move but was hindered by the wall at his back, she arched an eyebrow at him.

“And what business is it of Ronald’s to get upset over what his sister insinuated? If anyone should be upset here Harry, it is not Ronald nor that cow but me. I was unnecessarily dragged, in my absence might I add, by Ginerva to get her brother off her back. I don’t know what reason has he got to be upset when my personal life is being made public here. And after all this time in this castle, you don’t have to be told Harry how everyone in this school loves to make mountains out of molehills for some cheap fun and to spread rumours.”

She saw Harry take offence and knew she had hit a nerve but his next words weren’t exactly a shock or a surprise to her. She had been observing him closely for years now.

“Ginny didn’t mean anything by that and you know it too Hermione. She even mentioned how Cho and I snogged. She was just trying to get Ron to back off and used us as examples.”

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out a loud breath as she finally met Harry’s eyes.

“Are you even listening to yourself, Harry? What does it matter what Ginny meant when she used us, as you so perfectly put it, even though as mere examples to justify her actions and decisions. She’s free to snog and shag whoever she wants but it doesn’t mean that she’s got any right to drag me or you to get away with things. I don’t like to be used like I’m some object Harry and I thought neither did you. I considered her my friend but is this how a friend behaves?”

She saw Harry was getting riled up but he was more affronted about the girl he had been eyeing a lot recently rather than the implication of being used too. 

“We’ve been having problems this year as well Hermione, does this mean that I’m no longer your friend too? Would you also break things off with me since I’ve been disappointing you a lot as well?”

She hadn’t expected Harry’s mind to go down this route but he clearly wasn’t getting her and so she shook her head and backed off a step, her eyes softened as she reached out and took his hand with her free one. Gentling her tone she spoke, looking into his eyes and noticed how her touch had calmed him too to an extent.

“Harry, are you comparing our friendship with the mere acquaintances that Ginny and I are? We’ve been through too much together for me to cut ties with you, you silly boy. When will it ever sink in your head? The day you saved me from that troll, you got stuck with me for life, Mr Potter. Nothing will ever change that, certainly not after facing a werewolf and riding a damn hippogriff with you. I trust you with my life, Harry.”

His eyes softened as a small smile graced his lips and his face was an open book she could read and taking courage from that fact, she carried on. 

“This isn’t about us. We may have our differences, Harry, we’re not perfect and naturally, that means from time to time we will rub each other the wrong way and butt heads too.”

She saw Harry nod his head as she felt his hand squeeze her own and giving him a smile she continued,

“This is about what Ginny did, don’t you see that Harry? Don’t you remember how her mum treated me owing to that article, the howlers, the pus?” 

She couldn’t help but shudder as she recalled the pain and the way her hands had itched and burned owing to that nasty thing.

Harry did too as his free hand squeezed her arm as his face was a mask of concern.

“Harry, despite my academic success in this place, people still are nasty to me. I got attacked by someone who I thought knew me too in a way by how they treated me, I don’t need people to consider I’m some… some…”

She closed her eyes unable to get the words out as Harry freed his hand from her grasp and gently cradled her face in his hands. She noticed she was crying only when he was wiping away her tears and she couldn’t help but burrow into his arms. She recalls how Harry hadn’t always known how to respond to her, but now his arms went around her immediately and he stroked the back of her head with a gentle hand. 

He didn’t say anything but she felt him rub her back with his other hand and felt herself relax in his arms, as she began to speak against his shoulder.

“I thought she was my friend Harry. She didn’t think for a single moment how people might treat me after she implied that. You don’t do that to a friend! She had no right to use you or me to justify her actions. Whether or not I kissed Viktor, it’s my personal life and I don’t want people to gossip about me. And as for Ronald!”

She finally moved to look at him though she didn’t let go of him, 

“I don’t think I owe him any explanation. He’s not… if he’s going to make a fuss about things that are in the past, without even clarifying them, then sod him. I know he’s interested in me Harry and I thought maybe I felt something regardless of how he usually treats me too but his behaviour in this situation has finally done it. My parents… they’re best friends Harry and madly in love with each other even now, sometimes it’s positively nauseating. But my mum, she told me that falling in love with my dad came so easily to her that she didn’t even know when it happened or how. She told me that because he was always so wonderful and charming and sweet but most importantly respectful of her that she couldn’t help but fall for him, while my dad jokes that she knew he was the most handsome guy in uni and made sure that no other girl would get as close to him, impressing him with her smarts, wit and dry humour, winning him over by being his best friend through his toughest times, so naturally he fell in love with her.”

She looked at Harry’s eyes and saw how her words had affected him as he looked like he was thinking about something as he looked at her with an intensity that she’d never seen on his face. 

She felt a shiver course through her and for reasons she couldn’t quite fathom, she whispered her next words,

“Things are never easy with Ron… and if he doesn’t have the maturity to deal with something that he merely heard, I don’t think going down that road, it’s worth the headaches or the heartache that are a certainty in the future. 

And as for Ginny, I’m not sure how to forgive her. 

People exaggerate things in this place, Harry! I don’t think I can call someone who would use me so publicly a friend when they don’t even consider the potential damage they could do to my reputation. Besides that, the most important thing is that as a friend, you’re not supposed to do what she did. Whether I kissed Krum or not was my personal matter. If something did happen between Viktor and me, that I shared in confidence with her, she shouldn’t have publicly spilled things that I trusted her with. And I’d rather not want to call someone who would throw me under the bus to save their skin a friend. Why, that’s the first step towards ensuring that I have my own Peter Pettigrew!”

Harry’s breath hitched and she was horrified by what she had said but she could see the colour drain out of his face. He dropped his arms and she let go of him. 

”I’m so sorry Harry I didn’t mean that.” 

She saw as Harry took deep breaths as he kept his eyes closed and for long moments only silence prevailed before he finally spoke up,

“It’s okay.” 

Before she could get another word out, the alarm rang and Harry moved towards the door to cast off the charms and walked out of the classroom.

As she walked out of the classroom she was miserable and didn’t know how she’d make things right with Harry again, thankfully for her, their friendship was stronger than that, so things eventually became normal. Nothing would ever change their friendship, she had mused with a smile. 

Or so she had assumed.

Weeks later, as she attended Slughorn’s party with Harry, as his date, before either of them knew what was happening, their night had ended with Harry pulling her into an empty classroom while she had wasted no time to put her arms around him, as he had pulled her closer to himself while his hungry lips had found hers. 

When they had finally decided to get back to their dorms, Harry had stopped her before they found themselves in front of the Fat Lady’s portrait and dragged her into an alcove behind a line of suit of armours lined up in the corridor that led to the Gryffindor common room, as he gave her one last kiss and looked deeply into her eyes. Smiling at her, as he gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, his fingers tracing her jaw gently, he had murmured,

“Your dad was right.”

When her brows had furrowed, he had gently laughed and kissed her lips yet again,

“You really can’t help but fall for pretty girls who become your best friends, especially when they’re smart and witty and can kiss like that.”

She had laughed and pulled him to give a chaste kiss on his lips but that plan had quickly went out of the window as his tongue had gently probed her lips and half an hour later they had finally found themselves in front of the Fat Lady.

As she lay in bed that night, hugging her pillow, she couldn’t help but recall Harry’s kisses and she couldn’t not smile thinking how she finally understood what her mum had been talking about always as she realised, falling for your best friend was truly the best and easiest thing in this world. 


End file.
